New-York tribune., 1887-04-15
BROADWAY ELEVATED RAILROAD
FINAL HEARING IN COMMITTEE.

PROPERTY-owNERs AND LAWYERS ON THE METRO
PoIITAN TRANSIT CoMPANY's BILL
ArnAyY April l4-The final hearing before the Senate
Railroad Committee today on the Metropolitan Transit
Companys bill to extend its route In broadway from
Cnambersst to the Battery and from Forty fifth to Sew
cntyrst sts was largely to the Arcade Railway
eide OF the case Ex-senator Thomas appeared for tho
underground road Colonel George Bliss for the Metro
poltan H. H. Rice represented the Stewart and Hilton
estates George Dewitt APPEARED for the Goeets and David
Thornton real estate owner for the property
at Washington Heights and elsewhere.
Mr. Rice protested against the Metropolitan bill and
Mt the request Of others than his clients he said he pre-
sented petition against the bill signed by the Equitable
Life Assurance Society," the Mutual Life Insurance Com
many President Williams OF the Chemical Bank: i.
aray Mrs Boreel and Others. sixteen ali told property
owners In Broadway. Mr.. Dewitt, In behalf OF Robert
and ogden Goeet and Others called attention particularly
TO the narrow part Of Broadway between seventeenth
Twenty fifth sts, street which an elevated road
would be especially injurious TO.
In reply TO question by Senator Walker as tohs choice
between underground or elevated roadn Broadway
he stated that his client wished neither but would like
road up Elmst to the Grand Central Depot Tho dam
ages done by elevated road apparent and could
be readily estimated. while those OF ono underground
could not be- and such road only experimental
David Thornton urged views Of West sde property
owners in favor Of elevated road in Broadway. He
represented no corporation he declared but property
on the East as well the West Side The nature
of Broadway urged that IL formed the only
line Of the travel naturally connecting the upper and
lower ends Of Manhattan Island. shaped rs 1t was Pc
ons no thought amounted to nothing lie could get all
he wanted n favor OF elevated road In Broadway The
effect OF elevated roads had been to heghten the value Of
property along their routes. Broadway, after all, was
only small part OF New-York and people all around
IT, on East and West Sides, and especially the north
crn part OF the island desired elevated road on it.
Il. ,l.att eoaI. In
voved In heavy litigation and under the most favorable
conditions IL could not be built for years Tho Metropo
itan Company presented an available opportunity to
raty the demand for immediate rapid transit Its char
ter already gave tho right from Chambersst to Forty
third-st, and what it asked was an extension
both ways. This elevated road could be running
in year Dwellings had been put up
all along tho routes OF the elevated road
in Brooklyn since had built and property there had
doubled In value.
Ex-senator Thomas malo ringing speech In the In
terest he said. OF private Iighs-hose OF the Arcade
Railway Compiny-whch had been conferred uponit by
this very committee AMI tho Legislature The Arcade
and the Metropolitan could both exist than
Two bodies could occupy the space at the
tune The honor OF the State was at stake IN protecting
II called the Legislature TO authorize roads which
IL had no right 10 do
IL smply provides that these routes below Chambcrss
nd Forty yhr-s may DE laid out subject TO tho
anu hhc Jaws ".o'
OF the hearing Laying out the route, subject to the con-
sttuton ami the laws means that In order TO constructs
road the consent Of majority OF the prop
ery owners along the putes must be secured or III lieu
thereof OF commission appointed by the court AS Tor
way between Seventeenth aud Twenty -tnrd Sta they
arc amss charter already covers that cart OF tho
route Now, petitions let that the only hon
est square preseno here that by Mr. lce sgnei
by Messrs. Hilton Williams. The Equitable, etc Last
year tho committee had before II over 1000
signatures OF property-owners IN Broadway pro
la paf of pefif
crs, but the good OF the general public As for the oonsi
tuuonal question: our routes be extended except
James McApln. the oh Of engineer oil tue Arcade ka
Is cS t1ld ssd 10 sin kealpn Is feasible to build
elevated road and also the Arcade underground road
Mr. McAipn-Iis not The construction Of an ee-
vafed road under the mosl favorable conditions w9ua
tor We ha for,yfour feet OF Broadway seven thousand
linear OF Broadway or Two aud onehalf mes less
vated roads would have to be put In tho centre
of the sidewalk. for II they were put ~ dhe tse
Company. The building OF tho elevator roai wond
compel go down six feet aud would involve us In an
the construction OF the elevated road.
Mr. Carpenter, of the Arcade Railro1d hero showed
large picture OF broadway as II would appear al Reror-
st. il both Arcade Railway and the elevated railroad
were built Al that point Broadway Is les, than forty
put at the curb they would rest ou The ROOF OF inc
Arcade Railway M SAID ana mat tho e rob %5sa gT%a
caused the Of trains on both roads would de-
stIOy both structurcA
The Railway Committee then went into executive Sos
debate 1t was resolved to take vote
the character OF the report TO be presented 10
the senate on the bill next Monday. ON that night.
therefore the committee VIII decide whether 10 report the
bill fayorably or unfayOraby.
The mcnbers tho .aiiroad Committee. Is learned.
lad a warm the subject OF epor ng tho bill
The opponents OF tho bill thought that no report ought 10
he made It until Senator Pierce. member OF the com
mttee should return. Senator Low especially insisted
on delay In acting I'LL Mr. Fierce should return In this
position he sustained by senator Hoysradt Senator
Nelson wanted report the bill al once. Senator oys
radt said that he for would not force railroad
Brpady ay against the wishes OF tho property yOwnor
Walker asked whether the Interests Of New York
did not uand rapid transit Senator Nelson believed
that New \ ork did want rapid transit aud he
the thought that property was no moro sacred In
than 1t was In Third and sixth ayeA The
committee nnally voted not 10 make decision tho
xnpday